Clip board



Feb. 26, 1957 v. c. HELBERG CLIP BOARD Filed Jan. 20, 1955 This invention relates to clip boards or similar articles of the general character used by inventory takers, draftsmen, students, delivery boys, and others who require a portable writing board rfor holding a pad upon which they can make notes or records as they move about, although my invention is equally useful in connection with many stationary surfaces.

My present invention is herein shown for illustrative purposes as an improvement upon the clip board disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,500,032, granted March 7, 1950, in that the article of my present invention is simpler in construction, more economical to manufacture and is easier to manipulate.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a clip device in which the clip is tiltably mounted on a board by means of a single unitary connecting member formed from spring sheet metal so as to provide a yieldable connection which is entirely devoid of the pivotal shaft, coil spring and other expensive features inherent in the structure of my former patent.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide a pencil holder adapted to retain a pencil in position on the board where it is readily accessible for use when required, the holder being so constructed and arranged that the pencil may be readily removed and easily replaced without the necessity of tilting the clip member.

Other objects and many of the inherent advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated as the same'becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the `accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure l is a plan View partially broken away of a clip board embodying my invention;

Fig, 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the mounting or connecting member by which the clip member is mounted on the board;

Fig. 4 is a View illustrating the stamped out metal sheet from which the mounting is formed;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View -on the line 5- of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7 showing a modification of the pencil holding finger; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the clip member and pencil holder illustrated in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing more in detail, 4reference character 8 indicates a board of fiber composition or other suitable material. The clip 9, which is mounted at one end of the board, is shaped as shown in Figs. l and 2 and provided preferably with an opening l1 by which the board may be hung on a hook or nail when not in use, and is provided with a central `slot 12 to accommodate a pencil holder, as will be later described.

The mounting for the clip which constitutes the sole means of connection between the clip and the board isy formed from a sheet of spring metal such as is indicated generally by reference character 13 in Fig. 4. This sheet States Patent is stamped out to the shape there .shown and is then bent along the two dotted lines shown in Fig. 4 to provide the base 14, the top 15 and the uprights 16 connecting the base and top and providing a yieldable support upon which th-e clip member may be tilted to retract its forward edge from clamping proximity to ithe board. The base and top of the supporting member 13 are provided with apentures 17 and i8, respectively. Rivets 19 passing through the holes l securely attach the base 1,4 to the board 8. The margins 10 and 20 of the clip are folded downwardly and inwardly beneath the side edges of the top 15, as shown in Fig. 5, `and the metal of ,these in-turned margins is depressed into the apertures 18 to securely lock the clip member 9 to the top 15 of the support.

It will, therefore, be apparent that the uprights 16 form the sole connection between the board and the clip, Aand being of spring metal provide a yielding connection biasing the forward edge of the clip toward the board 8 to clamp and hold a paper pad 25 or the like ,against the 4face of the board. Because of the yielding character of these uprights, they permit tilting movements of the clip relatively yto the board. Normally, as stated, the clip is biased into clamping position, but depression of the rear endv of the clip will lift the forward edge to `release the pad when desired.

When the supporting member is bent into the shape shown in Fig. 3 from the iiat sheet formation of Fig. 4, the tabs 26 adjacent each end of the base 14 are bent upwardly into the vertical position shown in Fig. 3 to form paper edge stops against which the upper edge of the pad or stack of sheets 25 abut. The strip of metal 27 formed by cutting the slot 12a between the uprights 16 is bent `outwardly from the yslot l2a and downwardly at its outer yfree end to provide a yielda'ble pencil holding finger extending through the slot l2 in the clip 9 and into prostimity to the board 8 or to the pad 25 disposed thereon. The end of the finger is concavely formed, as indicated at 28, to receive a pencil or the like 29 shown in dotted lines in Figs. l and 2, which may be slid into position beneath the lower end 28 of the holding linger by being projected from above through the slot 12EL between the uprights i6 of the support and through the enlarged lower end of the slot 12 in the clip 9. Thus the unitary support for the clip serves the Ydual function of tiltably support ing the clip on the board and urging the forward edge of the clip into clamping relation with the board. In addition, the finger 27 formed integrally with the support and projecting through the aligned slot 12 in the clip 9 (Figs. l and 2), serves as a retainer to hold a pencil or the like in convenient readily accessible position. The pencil may be withdrawn by pulling it downwandly from beneath the holding finger without tilting the lclip and it may be similarly inserted from above.

The pencil holding feature of my invention is not restricted to that embodiment in which the retaining finger is integrally formed with the support, as shown in Fig. 3, for instance, but it is also equally useful in conjunction with the type of clip disclosed in my prior patent above referred to. This adaptation of the pencil holding finger is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing, wherein the clip member 29a is mounted upon the board 8 in any preferred manner, such as that illustrated in my said prior patent. As there disclosed the clip member 29sa is pivotally mounted at 30 upon the board 8 and is spring biased to the clamping position shown in Fig. 6. In this instance, the clip member is provided with a slot 31 cut in its forward portion and a spring finger 32 shaped like the finger 27 ypreviously described is disposed in this slot and securely mounted on the clip member by a rivet 33 or other suitable fastening means. The spring finger when thus applied acts to perform the same functions described in connection with my preferred embodiment i of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

The term clip board is used herein is employed in a generic sense to include any other portable or stationary base such as a bulletinboard, a display stand, an automobile or truck visor, or any suitable board, pad, or surface upon which my novel clip may be mounted.

It is believed that my invention in its preferred forms and its advantages will be apparent from the foregoing t,

without further description, and that the structural details including the type of board or support illustrated and described may be varied within considerable limits without exceeding the scope of my invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A member adaptedto from a yieldable connection between the base and the clip of a clip board, said me1nber being of substantially U-shape with the legs thereof perforated for attachment to said base and clip, respectively, the curved connecting portion of said U-shaped member being provided with a slot and a spring pencil holding nger projecting outwardly from said slot and longitudinally of the clip board and in alignment with said slot to permit the yinsertion through said slot of said member and longitudinally of the clip board of a pencil or the like to be retained by said finger.

2. A clip board, comprising a board member, a sheet metal clip member, an element connecting said members formed of spring sheet metal bent into substantially U-shape to provide `a bottom and a top yieldably connected by the intermediate portion, said bottom being attached to said board member and said top being secured to said clip member by marginal portions of said clip member bent downwardly and inwardly so as to embrace the marginal portions at the opposite ends of the top of said element, said intermediate portion being centrally slotted and provided with a spring pencil holding nger projecting out of and in alignment with said slot for receiving a pencil projected through said slot with the end of said finger tensionally'gripping and retaining the pencil. 3. A clip board, comprising a base, a clip member provided with a slot, means for mounting the clip mem ber on the base so as to permit tilting movement thereof, and a pencil holder including a leaf spring member connected to and movable with the clip member and extending longitudinally of and outwardly through said slot in the clip member with the free end of said spring member tensionally urged toward said base, said end having a concavity for receiving and retaining a pencil and said leaf spring member yieldably clamping the pencil against said base when inserted through the slot and ,under the concavity in the free end of the spring member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 289,608 Binkley et al. Dec. 4, 1883 1,671,725 Jones May 29, 1928 2,704,216 Slonneger Mar. 15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 716,307 France Oct. 6, 1931 

